God loves you not because of what you do, but because of who He is.

God is love (1 John 4:8). God doesn't have to pretend to love you; He can't not love you, because He is love.
In fact, the very actions of God exemplify what love is. The apostle John explains that this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16). Only a few verses later, he further defines love: This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9).
Notice that God's love for you is independent of how you behave, who you are, or how you respond to that love.
Romans 5:6-8 reminds us that God loves us regardless of where we are: You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus represents God's love for us in what we now call the Parable of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:11-24). In that allegory, the father openly and lovingly receives his son even though the son had run away, squandered all of his money, and insulted the father. In the same way, God loves us unconditionally.
There is nothing you can do to get God to love you -- He already does. There is nothing you can do to deserve God's love, because, by sinning, you have turned your back on God and are fundamentally no different than the prodigal son. That parable is a clear reminder that God loves you not because of what you do, but because of who He is.

Love is the visible attribute of an invisible God.

1 John 4:12 says, No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. In other words, even though no person has ever actually seen God the Father, we are able to see God's character as we love one another.
Remember that God is love (1 John 4:8); so, when we walk in love, we are like God.
Thus, although we can't actually see God, we can see his character in our love for each other (and in his love for us). Indeed, Romans 5:8 tells us that God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Furthermore, Jesus said that we, his disciples, will be known by our fruit: By their fruit you will recognize them (Matthew 7:16, 20). Galatians 5:22 tells us what that fruit is: The fruit of the Spirit is love ... . Thus, we are known by our love—love for one another and love for God.
It is so important to walk in love, because love is the visible attribute of an invisible God.

THE SEVEN WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS

THE SEVEN WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS

 Christ Jesus died on the Cross to redeem mankind, to save us from our sins, because He loves us.
As recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Holy
Bible, Jesus Christ was mocked, scorned, and tortured in the
praetorium; carried his cross up the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem to
Calvary, nailed to the Cross, hung between two common criminals, and
suffered an indescribable end.

One may meditate on the Passion of Christ by reflecting on his Seven Words on the Cross

or by a devotion known as the Way of the Cross.

When religious pilgrimages to the Holy Land ended with military
occupation of Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, a popular devotion known as
the Way of the Cross arose during Lent retracing the Passion,
Crucifixion, and Death of Jesus. The fourteen stations of the Cross are
(1) Pilate condemns Jesus to death; (2) Jesus takes up his Cross;
(3) He falls the first time; (4) Jesus meets his sorrowful mother Mary;
(5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica cleans his face; (7) He
falls the second time;
(8) Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem; (9) He falls the third time;
(10) Jesus is stripped of his garments; (11) Jesus is nailed to the
cross; (12) Jesus Christ dies on the cross; (13) He is taken down from
the cross; (14) Christ is laid in the tomb.


Here are his Seven Words, the last seven expressions of Jesus Christ on the Cross recorded in Scripture.

THE FIRST WORD
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
Gospel of Luke 23:34

Jesus says this first word only in the Gospel of Luke, just after he was crucified by the soldiers on Golgotha, with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
The timing of this suggests that Jesus asks his Father to primarily
forgive his enemies, the soldiers, who have scourged him, mocked him,
tortured him, and who have just nailed him to the cross. But could this
not also apply to his Apostles and companions who have deserted him, to
Peter who has denied him three times, to the fickle crowd, who only
days before praised him on his entrance to Jerusalem, and then days
later chose him over Barabbas to be crucified? Could this not also
apply to us, who daily forget him in our lives?


Does he react angrily? No, he asks his Father to forgive them, because they are ignorant! At the height of his physical suffering, his
Divine love prevails and He asks His Father to forgive his enemies.


Right up to his final hours on earth, Jesus preaches forgiveness. He teaches forgiveness in the Lord's prayer: "Forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Matthew
6:12). When asked by Peter, how many times should we forgive someone,
Jesus answers seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). At the Last
Supper, Jesus explains his crucifixion to his Apostles when he tells
them to drink of the cup: "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins" (Matthew 26:27-28). He forgives the paralytic at Capernaum
(Mark 2:5), and the adulteress caught in the act and about to be stoned
(John 8:1-11). And even following his Resurrection, his first act is to
commission his disciples to forgive, the Scriptural foundation for the
Sacrament of Confession: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the
sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained" (John 20:22-23).

THE SECOND WORD
"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Gospel of Luke 23:43

Now it is not just the religious leaders or the soldiers that mock Jesus, but even one of the criminals, a downward progression of mockery. But the criminal on the
right speaks up for Jesus, explaining the two criminals are receiving
their just due, and then pointing to Jesus, says, "this man has done
nothing wrong." Then, turning to Jesus, he asks, "Jesus, remember me
when you come in your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). What wonderful faith this
repentant sinner had in Jesus - far more than the doubting Thomas, one
of his own Apostles. Ignoring his own suffering, Jesus mercifully
responds with His second word.

The second word again is about forgiveness, this time directed to a
sinner. Just as the first word, this Biblical expression again is found
only in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus shows his Divinity by opening heaven
for a repentant sinner - such generosity to a man that only asked to be
remembered!

THE THIRD WORD
"Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son".

Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother." Gospel of John 19:26-27

Jesus and Mary are together again, at the beginning of his ministry in Cana and now at the end of his public ministry at the foot of the Cross. What sorrow must fill her
heart, to see her Son mocked, tortured, and now just crucified. Once
again, a sword pierces Mary's soul, the sword predicted by Simeon at
the Temple (Luke 2:35) . There are four at the foot of the cross, Mary
his Mother, John, the disciple whom he loved, Mary of Cleopas, his
mother's sister, and Mary Magdalene. His third word is addressed to
Mary and John, the only eye-witness of the Gospel writers.


But again Jesus rises above the occasion, and his concerns are for the ones that love him. The good son that He is, Jesus is concerned
about taking care of his mother. In fact, this passage offers proof
that Jesus was the only child of Mary, because if he did have brothers
or sisters, they would have provided for her. But Jesus looks to John
to care for her.


St. Joseph is noticeably absent. The historic paintings, such as Tondo-doni by Michelangelo and The Holy Family by Raphael, suggest
Joseph was a considerably older man. St. Joseph had probably died by
the time of the crucifixion, or else he would have been the one to take
care of Mary. Early Christian traditions and the second-century
apocryphal Protoevangelium of James held that Joseph was a widower, and
his children by his former wife were the "brothers and sisters of
Jesus."

Another striking phrase indicating Jesus was an only child is Mark 6:3, referring to Jesus: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his
sisters here with us?" Now if James, Joses and Judas and Simon were
also natural sons of Mary, Jesus would not have been called the "son of
Mary," but rather "one of the sons of Mary."

THE FOURTH WORD
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34

This is the only expression of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Both Gospels relate that it was in the ninth hour, after 3 hours of darkness, that Jesus cried
out this fourth word. The ninth hour was three o'clock in Palestine.
Just after He speaks, Mark relates with a horrible sense of finality,
"And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last" (Mark 15:37).


One is struck by the anguished tone of this expression compared to the first three words of Jesus. This cry is from the painful heart of
the human Jesus who must feel deserted by His Father and the Holy
Spirit, not to mention his earthly companions the Apostles. As if to
emphasize his loneliness, Mark even has his loved ones "looking from
afar," not close to him as in the Gospel of John. Jesus feels separated
from his Father. He is now all alone, and he must face death by
himself.


But is not this exactly what happens to all of us when we die? We too will be all alone at the time of death! Jesus completely lives the
human experience as we do, and by doing so, frees us from the clutches
of sin.

There can not be a more dreadful moment in the history of man as this
moment. Jesus who came to save us is crucified, and He realizes the
horror of what is happening and what He now is enduring. He is about to
be engulfed in the raging sea of sin.
Evil triumphs, as Jesus admits: "But this is your hour" (Luke 22:53).
But it is only for a moment. The burden of all the sins of humanity for
a moment overwhelm the humanity of our Jesus.


But does this not have to happen? Does this not have to occur if Jesus is to save us? It is in defeat of his humanity that the Divine
plan of His Father and Himself will be completed. It is by His death
that we are redeemed. "For there is one God. There is also one mediator
between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself as ransom for all" (l Timothy 2:5-6).

THE FIFTH WORD
"I thirst" Gospel of John 19:28

The fifth word of Jesus is His only human expression of His physical suffering. Jesus is now in shock. The wounds inflicted upon him in the scourging, the crowning
with thorns, and the nailing upon the cross are now taking their toll,
especially after losing blood on the three-hour walk through the city
of Jerusalem to Golgotha on the Way of the Cross. Systematic studies of
the Shroud of Turin, as reported by Gerald O'Collins in Interpreting Jesus,
indicate the passion of Jesus was far worse than one could imagine. The
Shroud has been exhaustively studied by every possible scientific
maneuver, and the scientific burden of proof is now on those who do not
accept the Shroud as the burial cloth of Jesus.

"He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,

so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed" (l Peter 2:24).

THE SIXTH WORD
When Jesus had received the wine, he said,
"It is finished";
and he bowed his head and handed over the spirit. Gospel of John 19:30

It is now a fait accomplit. The sixth word is Jesus' recognition that his suffering is over and his task is completed. Jesus was obedient to the Father and gave his love
for mankind by redeeming us with His death on the Cross.


The above painting is meant to capture the moment.
What was the darkest day of mankind became the brightest day for mankind.

When Jesus died, He "handed over" the Spirit.
Jesus remains in control to the end, and it is He who handed over his Spirit. One should not miss the double entendre here, for this may
also be interpreted as His death brought forth the Holy Spirit. Jesus
speaks of living water in John 4:10-11, and refers to living
water as the Holy Spirit in John 7:37-39. This becomes more evident in
John 19:34: "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and
at once there came out blood and water." This fulfills the prophecy in
Zechariah 12:10: "They will look upon him whom they have pierced." The
piercing of Jesus' side prefigures the Sacraments of Eucharist (blood) and Baptism (water), as well as the beginning of the Church.

THE SEVENTH WORD
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit": Gospel of Luke 23:46

The seventh word of Jesus is from the Gospel of Luke, and is directed to the Father in heaven, just before He dies. Luke quotes Psalm 31:5 -
"Into thy hands I commend my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord,
faithful God." Luke repeatedly pleads Jesus' innocence: with Pilate
(Luke 23:4, 14-15, 22), through Dismas, the criminal (Luke 23:41), and
immediately after His death with the centurion" "Now when the centurion
saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man
was innocent" (Luke 23:47).


The innocent Lamb had been slain for our sins, so that we might be forgiven. "They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the
redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an
expiation by his blood, to be received by faith" (Romans 3:24-25).


Jesus fulfills His mission, and as He says so clearly in John's Gospel, He can now return: "I came from the Father and have come into
the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" (John
16:28).
Jesus practiced what He preached: "Greater love has no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

An Easter Message

                              JESUS DEATH - 60 SECONDS

For

the next 60 seconds, set aside whatever

you're doing and take this opportunity!

Let's see if Satan can stop this...

  
THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS


At the age of 33,
Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.


At the time crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was
even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus was nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, rather than tied...

                                                     Each nail  was 6 to 8 inches long.


The nails
were driven into His wrist. Not
into His palms as is commonly
portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that
extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew
that when the nails were being hammered into the
Wrist, that tendon would tear and
break, forcing Jesus to use His back
muscles to support himself, so that He could breathe.



Both of His feet
were nailed together. Thus He was forced to
support Himself on the single nail that
impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could
not support himself with His legs for long because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His
back and using his legs just to continue to
breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the
suffering, the courage.

                                          Jesus endured this  reality for over 3 hours.


Yes,
over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of
suffering? A few minutes before He died,
Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water
from his wounds.
  
From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side...
But do we remember the many wounds
made to his body. A hammer
driving large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped
and a nail hammered through the arches, then a
Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. And...
before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and
beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the
flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His
face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The
crown of thorns (two to three inch thorns) cut deeply into His scalp. Most men
would not have survived this torture.

 He had no more blood
to bleed out, only water poured from His
wounds. The
human adult body contains about 3.5 liters
(just less than a gallon) of blood.

  
Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood;
He had three nails hammered into His
body; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond
that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His
chest..


All these without
mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying His own
cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his
face and threw stones (the cross beam was almost 30 kg of weight, to which His hands were nailed).

         Jesus had to endure this experience,  so that you may have free access to God.

  
So that your sins can be "washed" away.
All of them, with no exception!
Don't ignore this.

 JESUS
CHRIST DIED...FOR YOU!
  
For you, who now read this e-mail.
Do not believe that He only died for others
(those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc).

  
He died for you!
It is easy to e-mail jokes or silly photos,
but when it comes to God,
sometimes we feel ashamed to forward a message about Him on
to others.
We are worried of what they “may think.”


Accept the reality, the truth, that
JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.


God has special plans for YOU!
Share this with all your friends...
about what He went through to save you.
Really think about it!


May God bless you!

For the next 60 seconds,
set aside what you're doing and take
this opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop this.

  
All you have to do is:


1. Pray for the person who sent this message to you.


2. Send this message to 10 people...More if you wish.


3.That way, 10 people will pray for you
and you will encourage many people
to pray to God for others.


4. Take a moment to appreciate the power of God in your life, as you do what pleases Him.


If you are not ashamed to do this, please, follow Jesus' instructions.
He said (Matthew 10:32 & 33): "Everyone therefore
who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge
before My Father in heaven; but whosoever denies Me
before others, I also will deny before My
Father in heaven".


If you believe,
send this message... But send it only if you believe
in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior.


Yes, I love God. He
is my source of life and my Savior.
He keeps me alive and safe, both day and night.

   
Without Him, I am nothing,
but with Him "I can do all things through Him
who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13.

  
This is the simple proof. If you love God and you are a believer


and trust in His salvation through Christ Jesus, send this to all those you love.

How to Use Palms on Palm Sunday | eHow.com

How to Use Palms on Palm Sunday eHow.com

So cute!!!!!!!!!!!!

ONCE YOU LET THEM GO, YOU CAN'T GET THEM BACK. I'M

GOING TO TIE YOU TO MY HEART SO I NEVER LOSE YOU.

SEND THE POEM BELOW TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS INCLUDING ME!

SEE HOW MANY YOU GET BACK...

Well, here is the cure..... just smile and say...

Dear Lord,

I know you're watching over me

And I'm feeling truly blessed

For no matter what I pray for

You always know what's best!

 

I have this circle of E-mail friends,

Who mean the world to me;

Some days I 'send' and 'send,'

At other times, I let them be.

I am so blessed to have these friends,

With whom I've grown so close;

So this little poem I dedicate to them,

Because to me they are the 'Most'!

When I see each name download,

And view the message they've sent;

I know they've thought of me that day,

And 'well wishes' were their intent.

So to you, my friends, I would like to say,

Thank you for being a part;

Of all my daily contacts,

This comes right from my heart.

God bless you is my prayer today,

I'm honored to call you 'friend';

I pray the Lord will keep you safe,

Until we write again.

Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.

Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.



Even while David was seized by his enemies, the Philistines, he wrote this: When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4).


David knew that no matter what his circumstances looked like -- whether his life was in great danger or not -- his safety depended on God. It is no surprise, then, that David wrote in Psalm 27:1-3: The Lord is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.


When you feel afraid of what other people can do to you, remember that God has ultimate control over your life. However, it is important to note that in order to expect God's protection, you must be in God's presence. Notice that Psalm 91:1-2 says, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." In order to be rest in God's shadow, you must be in His presence -- and that means spending time with God, reading His Word, and praying.


Whether the people coming against you are terrorists or just your neighbor, remember that it is God you protects you: The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6).


The principle that safety is found in God is summarized by Psalm 4:8, which says, I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. You may be in dangerous circumstances, but safety is found not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.


Do your relationships control you, or does Christ control your relationships?


God wants to be the most important thing in your life. Sadly, many Christians let the opinions of other people control their own decisions, altering what they consider to be important.


Proverbs 29:25 says, Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.


Your relationships with the people you're around could be a snare to you if let them control you. However, if Christ is more important to you than any relationship, then he will control your relationships, guiding you into right, godly ones. Make Christ first place in your heart, and he will control and direct your relationships.

Daily reminder

Daily reminder

"The light of God surrounds us.  
The love of God enfolds us.
The power of God protects us.
The presence of God watches over us.  

>From my computer to yours - enjoy.
Please try and send to at least one person to remind them

of our Awesome God

Time is the price you must pay for intimacy with God.

              Time is the price you must pay for intimacy with God.

One of the most valuable things that a person could possibly have is an intimate relationship with God. That same God who is big enough and powerful enough to create the whole universe is also small enough and caring enough to desire a personal relationship with you--a relationship that will last for eternity.


Of course, such an intimate friendship won't happen by chance. Your relationship with your best friend didn't come overnight, and your relationship with God is no different. It requires time.


There is a principle that can be seen both in the Bible and in the world, which basically states that you reap what you sow (see 2 Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:7-8). However, you can't expect to reap a harvest on seeds you've never sown. In other words, you can't expect to know God well if you don't invest significant amounts of time and energy into the relationship.


Therefore, it is very important how you use your time. No wonder Paul, in Ephesians 5:15-16, wrote this: Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Here, Paul is encouraging us to use our time wisely--that is, to make the most of it.


The way to make the most of your time is to invest it into something of great value that lasts forever--an intimate relationship with God.


A practical tip that I have found to be true in my own life is this: Reserve a specific slot each day to spend time with God. Don't do anything else during that time; make it your time specifically for you and God. You can't use the excuse, "I'll read my Bible and spend time with God, as soon as I can find some time." You will never find time! You must make time. Therefore, reserve time for God, remembering that time is the price you must pay for intimacy with God.


The church shouldn't just be a meeting place for Christians; it ought to be a sending place for Christians.


Many Christians are so enveloped in "church world" (i.e. a continuous Christian environment) that they have very few opportunities to reach out to nonbelievers. In such cases, the church turns into a social networking place to meet other Christians. Instead, the church needs to be a place where believers can be built up and strengthened in faith, and then encouraged and empowered to be sent out into culture for the ultimate cause of sharing Christ with all people.


That's exactly what Jesus was getting at in Matthew 28:18-20, when he told his disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."


The Greek word for "nations" (ethnos) means a multitude of people. So, Jesus is simply saying that as you're living and as you're going about your business, make disciples of the people you're around.


Even back in the Old Testament, God was trying to get his people to spread his name, his glory, and his fame among the people of the Earth. In Psalm 96:1-3, the psalmist writes, Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.


God calls us to share his story with people. That call requires that we be in the world in order that we have opportunities to witness. That's why the church needs to be a sending place for Christians.

God Bless U !!!

FRIENDSHIP TEST

FRIENDSHIP TEST

 

                                                          Roses for a Special Person.

You are receiving these roses because you are a special person! Each rose symbolizes a special wish from me to you.

                                                            One Rose for Long Friendship.

                                                            One Rose for Unconditional Love.

                                                                One Rose For Financial Wealth.

                                                             One for Everlasting Happiness.

                                                                      One for Success.

                                                                      One for Knowledge.

                                                                One for Beauty, inner and outer. 

                                                                        One for Family. 

                                                                           One for Honesty. 

                                                           And the last one for a long and healthy life.

I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.

I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.

Obviously, we have no way of knowing what our future will be; however, as Christians, we know the one who knows--God.

We should not worry about the future, because our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15). In other words, God will give you what you need when you need it.

Therefore, it is no surprise that Jesus repeatedly tells us not to worry: "Do not worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34).

Again, Jesus emphasized that God loves and cares for us, and we therefore should not worry about our life: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25-27).

Although you don't know what God has in store for you, be assured that He has a good plan for your life (see Romans 8:28). Because He has such a good plan for you, there is no need to worry about life. Although you don't know what tomorrow holds, you have the opportunity to know the one who holds tomorrow!

Your contribution to salvation is sin and resistance.

Martin Luther was once asked what we contribute to salvation. He famously replied, "Sin and resistance."

Had the Apostle Paul been asked this question, he would have replied with a similar answer. In Romans 3, Paul gives a beautiful explanation of the gospel, beginning with a fatal diagnosis of humanity: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (v. 10-12).

To be clear, it's not that we were born neutral and then became sinners by making sinful choices. Rather, we were born into sin; at birth our very nature was sin. The psalmist laments that he was sinful even before he was born: Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). In other words, before we did anything, we were sinful because sin is our nature—sinful is who we are.

Being sinful at birth means we are spiritually dead at birth because sin leads to death (Romans 6:23). And dead people cannot make themselves alive. You contributed nothing to your physical birth (you can thank your mother and father for your physical birth!) and you cannot contribute anything to your spiritual birth.

But don't we need to put our faith in Christ in order to be saved? Absolutely! But even faith in Christ is a gift from God. Paul makes this clear in Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Notice that faith is "not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." And if that weren't clear enough, Paul reinforces his point by saying that your salvation is "not by works" (i.e., not by anything you accomplished) because if it were then you could boast. But, since God does everything to bring about your salvation, you cannot boast (c.f. Romans 3:27).

You were dead, but God made you alive. He saved you. The only thing you contributed was sin and resistance.